Shmorgishborg of Sounds

  Anthems. Everyone’s got them. Probably. I hope they do. Otherwise, this article would kinda be pointless.

  Speaking of pointless, let’s talk anthems. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Back in Black,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Billie Jean,” “Uptown Funk!,” “Sicko Mode,” “Rockstar,” “Shape of You,” and many, many, many more songs are considered anthems.

  They’re just songs that you can live by, songs you could party to, songs that play in the car on a road trip that make that 4 minutes go by that much faster, songs that play in your head when your leg is bouncing and your pencil is tapping on your desk during a test you’re not ready for, songs that play when you feel sad and don’t know why, so you hide beneath the covers and hope for soothing rain in a dry sky, songs that define you, songs that are a part of you.

  Those are anthems.

  Now, my music taste is a bit out of touch. I had to open a Wikipedia article to know what the kiddos are listening to for good examples. As such, I’ll try to be as impartial as possible in commenting on the anthems the people pick.

  Did I mention this article isn’t about me? It’s about the ten people below, and the songs that define them.

   Steele Adams, of 10th grade renown, says that his anthem is “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” by AC/DC. He claims to “live by that song,” because he “likes to get his hands dirty.”

  What this says about our sophomores, I don’t know. At least rock isn’t dead. Hopefully, none of them have been inspired to start undertaking similarly egregious acts.

Nick Diaz and Robert Simms, both 9th graders, were eager to share what songs make them work.

  For Diaz, it’s “3 AM” by Trill Sammy. He can “relate to it a lot, especially the girl calling his phone.” I suppose it’s thematic that the calls happen in the wee hours.

  My rap flow is about on par with Iggy Azalea, but even I can appreciate the themes of the toxic nature of wealth and fame, as well as the nature of a typical relationship with a strong male figure.

  For Simms, it’s “Mo Bamba” by Shack Wes. He, too, could relate to the song, particularly the phone calling. Incredible, really, how relatable phone calling can be.

  Once again, his music taste ventures into rap. Shack Wes details about how the real people who are needy (using an analogy to derogatory term for women) are the managers accosting him to join a label.

  Raymond Visconti, a senior, says that his anthem is “People are Strange” by the Doors. Says he, “The lyrics resonate with me… and Ray Manzarek is an amazing organ player.” That he is, that he is.

  Christian Stevens, another freshman, has the newest song on this list as an anthem. “Chlorine,” by Twenty One Pilots, is a depressing song on their latest album Trench.

  Stevens, using words I cannot quote in a school article, resonates with the themes of mortality and suicide. If these thoughts grow serious, contact a counselor, adult, or friend.    They’ll help you.        

  This is where the definition of anthem blurs. Morningstarr Vella says the entire musical Hamilton is the beat to her drum. She likes the education aspect, claiming it “teaches you history.”

  This should be taken with a grain of salt. Hamilton is told from the perspective of a person who idolizes the man. In reality, Hamilton, the person, was a figured marred by controversy and aristocratic intent. “Your Obedient Servant” is a banger, though.

  Korrin Daffer, a 12th grader, loves the acapella of Pentatonix, saying she loves “the melody and message,” which is really the reason to like any song.

  Specifically, she likes “First Things First,” which is a song about the sequence of events in stardom. As a critically acclaimed journalist, of course, this song is extremely relateable.. To the peasantry, I don’t know.

  An older brood also exists on campus. Supposedly, sound was invented back then, so it’s worth a fair ask.

 Mr. Abbiss, the 9th grade counselor, says that his favorite song is “Alive,” by Pearl Jam. Alive is a song that rode the wave of grunge emanating from Seattle, and it shows. Muddy guitar riffs back the grunting vocals.

  “Alive” takes Mr. Abbiss “back to high school,” because of its “positive message.” The song is about incest. Perhaps the meaning is lost when it’s sung with clenched teeth.

  Finally, Ashley Bishop’s favorite song is “Already Ready,” by Dan and Shay. Her reasoning? “It just is.” Fair enough, I suppose.

  “Already Ready” is a semi-erotic song about a girl choosing a dress, then taking it off in the presence of Dan and/or Shay, who happen to be “already ready to go.” The pinnacle of lyrical storytelling, really.

  Bam, nine anthems shared with the world. Secrets are out, people have weird music taste. Do you?